According to the United States Department of Justice as many 160, 000 children skip school every day due to a fear of being bullied. Bullies are not just depriving our children of their confidence and joy but seemingly of their education as well with 1 out of every 10 children dropping out of school doing so because of repeated bullying. The US schooling system has come under severe fire recently for not contributing enough towards anti-bullying and suicide prevention programs. Due to the fact that bullying has become tougher to track, certain school districts are employing paid services to track their students on various social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
Bullying has far-reaching consequences which includes physical illness and a weakened learning ability. It is imperative for parents to fortify their children with the necessary skills to render them as bully-proof as possible. There is no need to encourage physical violence but rather instill enough confidence that will see your child stand up for himself against a bully. Teaching children how to deal with bullies will serve a good purpose well into their adult lives as well.
Follow these guidelines to help your child take a stand against bullies
Redefine the term ‘tattling’
No kid wants to be labeled a tattletale and often don’t speak up about being bullied for this very reason. Explain to your child how this is exactly what the bully wants and that it is only by confiding in an adult that the power dynamic can once again be restored.
Don’t waste time
The faster a bully is stopped in his tracks, the better. Your child needs to understand that the sooner he speaks up against a bully the sooner the matter can be resolved and he can return to his stress-free life.
Instill awareness
Children should never feel that adults won’t assist them when they are getting bullied. Sadly there are cases where adults fail to acknowledge the severity of the situation but more often than not they are not even aware of what is transpiring. Children must learn to communicate with adults openly instead of fearing their responses. Teach your kids that they are not cowards for telling an adult about being bullied but that it is rather a sign of true courage.
Remain connected
Bullies try to isolate their victims from their families and friends, weakening them. A child is able to reclaim his power much easier if he maintains his connections with friends and supportive adults.
Chances of the world changing and bullying being abolished completely are very slim. The best we can do is to empower our kids to be strong enough to endure any physical or emotional onslaught they are faced with.
Guest Post by Jackie Edwards
